Prison officials are no longer allowing Missouri's most violent criminals to have access to video games with titles like "Hitman: Contracts."

Officials on Wednesday pulled 35 of more than 80 Sony PlayStation 2 games from the recreation center at the state's new maximum-security facility after being told they simulate murder, carjackings and the killing of police officers.

"We didn't closely review these," said Dave Dormire, superintendent of Jefferson City Correctional Center, which opened in September. "We were told these games had more like cartoon violence."

The games, paid for with profits from purchases at the prison canteen, included some of the most violent on the market, including "Hitman: Contracts." In the game, players use everything from meat hooks to silencer-equipped pistols to carry out brutal contract killings.

Jim Houston, a professor of criminal justice at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Mich., was surprised that such games would be allowed in the hands of violent prisoners.

"These kinds of games reinforce a criminal lifestyle that caused them to get into prison in the first place," he said.

Mary Still, a spokeswoman for Gov. Bob Holden, said the governor believes violent games are inappropriate for prisoners.

Dormire said other, nonviolent video games, including science fiction and sports games, are appropriate and useful in keeping prisoners occupied and out of trouble.